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Citing the Digital Page Turner: A Comprehensive Guide to Citing Digital Books

The modern scholar, researcher, and even the casual writer increasingly relies on digital books for information. But mining these virtual tomes without proper attribution is academic heresy. So, how do you cite a digital book? The short answer: it depends on the citation style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.) and the specific characteristics of the e-book you’re citing. However, generally, you’ll need to include the author’s name, title of the book, publication year, and specific information about the digital edition (e.g., format, URL or DOI, and accessed date). The key is precision and consistency.

Navigating the Digital Library: Citation Styles and Their Quirks

Different citation styles have different requirements. Understanding these nuances is critical for academic integrity and to ensure your readers can easily locate the sources you’ve used. Let’s delve into the big three.

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style

MLA style prioritizes clarity and conciseness. For a digital book, the general format is:

Author, Last name, First name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. Database Name (if applicable), URL or DOI.

Example (with URL): Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Penguin Classics, 2003. Project Gutenberg, www.gutenberg.org/files/1342/1342-h/1342-h.htm.
Example (with DOI): Gladwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Little, Brown and Company, 2000. ProQuest Ebook Central, doi.org/10.5860/choice.38-4546.
Key considerations:
- Italicize the book title.
- If accessing the book through a database, include the database name.
- If a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is available, use it in preference to a URL.
- Include the access date only if the book lacks a DOI and is likely to change.
- In-text citations usually include the author’s last name and page number (if available; otherwise, use chapter, section, or other suitable indicator).

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

APA style emphasizes the date and author. The basic format for citing a digital book in APA is:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher. URL or DOI

Example (with URL): Bryson, B. (2003). A short history of nearly everything. Broadway Books. https://example.com/books/9780767908184
Example (with DOI): Gilbert, E. (2006). Eat, pray, love. Viking. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2006.00060.x
Key considerations:
- Only the first word of the title and subtitle, and proper nouns are capitalized.
- Include the URL or DOI, with a preference for the DOI.
- In-text citations include the author’s last name and year of publication (Bryson, 2003).
- If citing a specific page, include the page number (Bryson, 2003, p. 42).

Chicago Manual of Style

Chicago offers two formats: Notes and Bibliography (primarily for humanities) and Author-Date (primarily for science and social sciences).

Notes and Bibliography Style

Bibliography Entry: Author, First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. URL or DOI.
- Example (with URL): Dickens, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman & Hall, 1859. www.gutenberg.org/files/98/98-h/98-h.htm.
- Example (with DOI): Kahneman, Daniel. Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.04.009
Note Entry (Footnote or Endnote): First Name Last Name Author, Title of Book (Place of Publication: Publisher, Year), page number.
- Example: Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (London: Chapman & Hall, 1859), 52.

Author-Date Style

Reference List Entry: Author, Last Name, First Name. Year. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher. URL or DOI.
- Example (with URL): Dickens, Charles. 1859. A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman & Hall. www.gutenberg.org/files/98/98-h/98-h.htm.
- Example (with DOI): Kahneman, Daniel. 2011. Thinking, Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.04.009
In-text Citation: (Author Last Name Year, page number)
- Example: (Dickens 1859, 52)
Key Considerations:
- Consistency is paramount when choosing between Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date styles.
- Provide the most specific location information available, be it page, chapter, or section number.
- The Place of Publication generally refers to the city.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What if my digital book doesn’t have page numbers?

Many e-readers display location numbers instead of page numbers. In this case, you can cite by chapter number, section title, or other logical division within the text. MLA style suggests using a chapter number or other indicator (e.g., “par. 7” for paragraph 7). APA discourages the use of location numbers and recommends using headings or paragraph numbers instead. Chicago also allows for chapter or section titles.

2. What if the digital book is a scanned version of a physical book?

Cite it as you would the physical book, but include information about the format and where you accessed it. For example:

MLA: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Smith, Elder & Co., 1847. Google Books, books.google.com.

3. How do I cite a digital book with no author?

If the author is unknown, cite the book by its title. In the citation, the title takes the place of the author’s name. Alphabetize it accordingly in your bibliography or reference list.

4. What if the digital book has an editor or translator?

Include the editor or translator’s name after the title. For example:

MLA: Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Emily Wilson, W.W. Norton & Company, 2017.

5. How do I cite a Kindle book specifically?

Cite it like any other digital book, but mention “Kindle edition” as the format.

APA: Carr, N. (2010). The shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains. W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

6. Should I include the access date for a DOI?

No. A DOI is a persistent identifier, meaning it’s designed to remain stable. Therefore, an access date is not required when a DOI is provided.

7. What if the URL is very long and complicated?

Use a URL shortener (like bit.ly or TinyURL) to create a shorter, more manageable link for your citation. However, some style guides prefer the full URL, so check the specific requirements.

8. Can I just copy and paste the citation from the database?

While databases often provide pre-formatted citations, it’s crucial to double-check them for accuracy. These citations can contain errors or be formatted incorrectly according to the specific style you’re using.

9. What if the digital book is part of an anthology or collection?

Cite the specific chapter or essay you’re using, followed by the title of the anthology and the editor’s name.

10. How do I cite a digital textbook?

Cite it as you would any other digital book, including all relevant information such as the author, title, edition number (if applicable), publisher, year, and URL or DOI.

11. What if the book is a PDF downloaded from a website?

Cite it as a digital book, including the URL of the website where you downloaded it.

MLA: Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949. www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/1984.pdf

12. Where can I find more specific guidance for a particular citation style?

Consult the official style manual for the citation style you’re using. The MLA Handbook, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, and The Chicago Manual of Style are the definitive guides. You can also find helpful resources on university library websites and reputable online citation generators (though always double-check their output).

By adhering to these guidelines and diligently checking your citations, you’ll ensure the integrity of your work and give proper credit to the authors whose ideas you’ve built upon. Happy citing!